Larry Jones, who usually remains at Delaware Park through the end of its live racing meet, is moving his stable to Keeneland in preparation for the Lexington, Ky., racetrack’s fall meet.
Jones said he will take about 40 horses to Keeneland next week, including several 2-year-olds. The trainer has won 16 races with 74 starters at Delaware through Sept. 15 but made the decision to pull his horses from the track, whose live meet runs through Nov. 5.
Jones, who came out of his brief retirement earlier this year, said his decision to come to Keeneland was based on several factors.
“(Delaware) only has about a month left,” he said. “They’ve had a hard time getting races to go. I need to get my 2-year-olds going and there are plenty of races at Keeneland. You would think the hurricane would have helped (the track), but it’s been pretty hard on horses (at Delaware).”
Keeneland’s fall meet begins Oct. 7.
Jones and owner Rick Porter also reported Sept. 16 that multiple graded stakes winner Joyful Victory, who had successful knee surgery July 29, is doing well and is on target to return to light training early next month.
The 3-year-old daughter of Tapit has been turned out at Vinery for the last few weeks. She came out of her fifth-place finish in the Coaching Club American Oaks (gr. I) with the knee injury that required surgery at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington.
Poter said Joyful Victory has begun rehab on the water treadmill and is scheduled to join Jones at Keeneland on Oct. 2.
"I just saw a video of her and she looks great," Porter said. "She looks like she has put on some weight.
"Larry thinks she hurt herself in the Coaching Club, but I think it was before that. Even though she was trapped on the inside in the Kentucky Oaks, once she got out she didn't have that burst of speed that she normally has. I think something might have been on going since then."
Joyful Victory won the Honeybee (gr. III) and Fantasy (gr. II) stakes at Oaklawn Park in the spring before finishing fourth as the favorite in the May 6 Kentucky Oaks.